Portable rotary planer



Fled Nov. 5, 1924 umu v INVENTORZ ATT NEK Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

pUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.A

JOHN FEKETE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO PREM IVER GRAND PIANO COR- PORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PORTABLE ROTARY PLANEB.

Application filed November This invention relates to Wood-Working tools, and more particularly to a portable rotary planer adapted to be held by the operator and moved in any desired direction or plane in conformity With the surface of the material to be Workedupon.

The primary object of the present invention is to enable a inechanically driven or operated portable planing tool including its motor or engine to be manually held by the operatorand While thus held to be used for planing sur-faces of practically any desired shape or contour.

A further object is to simplify and improve the construction of motor driven rotary planers and render them readily applicable to many operations heretofore diffioult of performance.

A still further object is to enable a. portable planing tool'to be utilized for Vuniformly and continuously planing curved or arouate surfaces of either concave, convex or Waved form as Well as flat surfaces, Whereby a great saving and economy of time and labor is obtainable.

A still further object is to enable the portable planer to be provided With suitable guiding means for one or both sides of the planing cutter, such guides being substantially removed from the plane of the Work, to enable the planer to be used Without guides, being adapted to be held by the operator independently of support by the work or guides. i

lVith the above objects in view, as Well as other objects Which \vill hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the several features of construction and operation set forth in one embodin'ient in the following specification and annexed drawings, forming a part hereof, heroin- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the engine driven portable vrotary planer representing a preferred modification of the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, substantially on the line II-II of Figure 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows; and

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the planing tool extension proper as seen in substantially the position indicated in section in Fi ure 1.

eferring more particularly to the draw- Vstitute a housing. for the spindle 15.

3, 1924. Serial No. 747,462.

ings, the embodiment of the portable rotary planer here selected for illustration includes `preferably a suitable rotary motor or engine, Which may beI of any type or character, either fluid operated, electrically operated, hydraulic or otherwise, in this instance shown as a fluid operated turbine engine 1 having a removable or separable cylinder body or casing 2, handle 3, motive fluid inlet 4 and rotor 5. The rotor 5 is adapted to be driven by motive fiuid admitted through passage 6 and port 7, the flow being con.- trolled by a suitable valve 67 adapted to be operated by a rotatable knurled sleeve 8 Which constitutes a grip for the handle 3. The rotor 5 is .adapte'd to transmit rota-ry motion through a suitable train of gears 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13A to a gear 14 rigidly secured at the end of a spindle 15.

In this instance the casing 2 :is provided With a hollow cylindrical extension 16v disposed in a plane parallel With the axis of the rotor 5, substantially at right angles to the handle 3 and suitably removably VSecured to the casing 2, as by the bolts 17, so that the end portion of the extension 16 encloses an open portion of the side of thecasing 2. This extension member 16 is adapted to con- The spindle 15 is preferably provided With one or more bearings substantially at the point of juncture of the casing 2 and extension 16, which bcaingsmay be located in the casing wall as seen at 18, or within the enlarged portion 19 of the extension 16 as seen at 20, or both at the casing Wall and enlarged portion 19. A suitable bearing 21 is also preferably provided adjacent to the opposite end of the spindle 15 so that the spindle is freely rotatably mounted at both ends. An additional intermediate bearing may also be provided as seen at 22, but this bearing 22 may ordinarily be dispensed with owing to its relatively close proximity to the bearings 20 or 18.

The extension member 16 prefer-ably comprises an inner portion 23, an outer portion 24, and an enlarged or offset also preferably substantially hollow or concave portion 25 intermediate the port-ions 23 and 24, in this instance connecting the portions 23 and! 24. The enlarged portion 25 may be of any desired practicalshape, lbut preferably such as to aflord a substantial opening 26 at one IDU l side. This enlarged portion 25 may be an lubricated fromv the engine casing.

integral part of either or bothof the extension portions 23 or 24 or it may be a separate part and suitably secured t-hereto, and all the parts 2', 24 and 25 may, as well, be separate and distinct individual parts suitably `secured together as will be understood. in the presentinstance the extension portion 3 which separates the enlarged portion Y 25 from the engine 1 is of relatively shorter length than the portion 24, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

A suitable implement, in this instance ay planing cutter body 27 of subsantially cone ventional form, is adapted to be keyed or otherwise suitably rigidly Secured Vabout the spindle 15 between the extension portions 23 and 24, or between the engine casing 2 and extension portion 24, in this instance being .located within the substantially hollow or enlarged portion 25 and Secured by means of one or more screws 28 which pass through the cutter body 27 at one or more of the concavities 29 into engagement With the spindle 15, Which latter may be slotted or provided with a suitable depression for this purpose. Suitable spacing or thrust members 85 may be provided at opposite ends of the cutter body 27.

The cutter body 27 as shown is provided With a plurality of suitable blades 30 adapted to be adjustably Secured in place,as by the bolts 31.

The free end of the spindle 15 is adapted to float within. the hollow extension portion 24 at one end of the cutter body. Suitable lubricating material, as for instance an oil Cartridge 32 may be located within the extension portion 24 to aiford lubrication for the bearing 21, the bearing or bearings at the opposite end of the cutter body being The -outer end of extension portion 24 is preferably adapted to be capped or closed, as by V the removable screw plug 33.

As thus constructed, the portable planing tool presents a simple, handy equipment in Which both the motor and the tool are adapted to be manually held by the operator by grasping the sleeve 8 of the handle 3 and the extension V24 at opposite ends of the planing cutter. The outer portion of the extension 24, like the sleeve 8, may have a knurled surface as shown at 34 to afford a oonvenient grip for the operator. The relatively short length of the guiding extension portion 23 in this instance affords a conf venientV location of the centre of gravity of the tool. The arrangement of the operating handle of the motor at right angles to the tool shaft enables the operator to aceurately guide the cutter and also start or stop the tool while in position on the Work so that the tool is adapted to be thus easily held by the operator and guided in its work, the

operation 'controlled by rotation of the sleeve 8. The blades of the rotatable cutter are adapted to prot-rude the desired distance at the opening'26 and thus applied to the work, the diameter of the' enlarged portion 25 being preferably such as to afford a relatvely substantial clearance between its interior wall and the cutter blades to permit of free circulation and expulsion of any cuttings which may gain access thereto. The tool may be disassembled by simply removing the screw or screws 28 and bolts 17, 1whereupon the spindle 15 may be removed from the extension 1G and the cutter body withdrawn through opening 26. The spindle 15 may be rcmovedby separat-ion of the casingI 2 and engine, 1.

The engine casingI 2, while heroin shown as rigidly Connectedrelatively closely to the extension 16 and enlarged portion 25, it may, if desired, be located still closer'thereto, or at a greater distance therefrom, and the connection of the spindle 15 to the rotor or other operative part of the engine or motor may be by a flexible shaft, of which latter the spindle 15 may also form a part, and the extension portions 23 and 24 may both be utilized as handles Wherever practicable, but a substantially rigid connection of the spindle with the engine or motor is preferable.

One important purpose and advantage of the herein described planing tool will now be set forth. It has heretofore been difficult and expensve to properly and accurately plane. surfaces not substantially flat when'using stationary planers, and the same has been true of known types of inovable cutter's or planers, particularly with fine work which must be carefully and uniforml, done, and it has often been necessary to re sort to hand instead of machine worlnresult ing` in a suhstantial expenditure of time and labor. For instance, in atteinpting to plane the surface or edge of a unitary pieceof material 36 designed to include one or more curved or arcuate portions 37 and 38 as well as substantially flat surfaced portions as seenv at 39, if the planer Were held the work a lacl: of uniformity in the depth of the planing cut would be likely to result,

even with a highly skilled operator. Te insure uniformit-y in the depth of the planing cut and produce perfectly smooth and even surfaces, the presentplaning tool atfordsV means for'uniformly guiding the tool during the planing operation. In this connection the relatively' Smooth outer surfaces 23a and 245L of the extension portions 23 and 24 respectively, whichlatter portions it will be seen are uniform in diameter, with their outer surfaces 23a and 24a located in a plane substantially out of alignment with the plane of the cutting edges of the blades 30 and distant from the work 3G, are adapted 1,614', vse

i to function in the capacity of guides for the tool. These guides 23 and QP are in this instance adapted to be placed in contact with, and moved along the surface of a suitable template or pattern 40 located at the side of the work 86, with the guiding surface 41 of the template40 located above the work a' distance substaintially equal to the distance between the guides 23a and 24 and the plane of the ultimate predetermined measurable outer contour of the finished' piece, represented by the depth of the planing cut intended to be made. The template may have duplicate portions, preferably a'dapted to be located at opposite sides of the work 6 as seen in Figure 1, so that both of the guides 23 and 242* are utilized. lu carrying out the operations just described it is necessary that the cutting tool be accurately held and guided. The provision of one handle substantially in the axial plane of the cutter, With the operating handle located in another plane permits starting and stopping of the motor without causing any shifting of the cutter.

This results in an absolutely even and true planing cut in practical conformity with the template, enabling the operator to very quickly and evenly plane a surface of practically any desired shape or fo an, with separate or additional pieces of the work 36 allv nniform in size and contour, the depth of the planing cut being previously determined and produced independently of any movements of the operator other than starting the planing tool and moving it along the template.

The tool as shown is simple in construction, highly eflicient in operation and capable of a Wide range of use, and it is to be nnderstood that various changes might be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts of the planing tool without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention; hence I do not wish to be limited strictly to the structure herein shown and described, but what I claim is:

1. A portable rotary planer comprising, in combination, a rotary engine or motor having a casing and an operating handle, a spindle directly connected to said engine, a planing cutter mounted on said spindle,- sa-id engine casing having an extension to house said .spindle and cutter, said spindle having a bearing in said extension, said extension including a coextensive aligned handle at the side of said planing cutter remote from said engine.

2. A portable rotary planer comprising, in combination, an engine or motor having a casing and an operating handle, said casing having a cylindrical hollow extension, a spindle directly connected to said engine, said spindle having a bearing in said hollow extension, a planing cutter mounted on said spindle in relatively close proximity to sa-id engine, said c lindrical hollow extension including a re atively short inner portion between said casing and said planing cutter and a coextensive outer portion remote therefrom, said remote portion incl-uding an outer handle at right angles to said motor operating handle, whereby the motor and planin'g cutter are compactly arranged' to be supported by said motor operating handle and said outer handle.

3. A portable rotary planer comprising in combinati'on a fluid operated rotary engine having a rotor, a casing and' an operating handle in radial alignment with said rotor, said casing having a tubularextension, a spindle directly connected to said engine and extending therefrom in a plane parallel V said enlarged dianjieter open-sided portion,

said enlarged diameter open-sided portion having an internal recess `surrounding said spindle, `and a bearing for said spindle in said reoess, said smaller diameter extension portion remote from said engine including an outer handle, Whereby the planing cutter and engine are compactly arranged to be supported by said operating handle and said outer handle. I

4. A portable rotary planing equipment comprising in combination, a fluid operated rotary engine having a easing, a. rotor in said casing, and an operating handle on said casing in radial alignment with said rotor, a spindle operatively connected to said rotor in a'plane parallel with the axis thereof, a

tubular extension sec-ured to and forming part of said engine casing, said tubular extension constituting a honsing for said spindle and including a small diameter portion of relatively short length contiguous to said casing, an enlarged diameter portion, and a second small diameter portion remote from said engine casing, a bearing for said spindle in said short length portion, a second bearing for said spindle Within said enlarged diameter extension portion, a planing cutter mounted on said spindle within said enlarged diameter extension portion, said remote extension portion including an outer handle, all of said extension portions, including said outer handle, coextensive with each other and in axial alignment, and a pair of templates to be disposed in parallel alignm ment at opposite sides of said enlarged diamlil.)

eter extension portion and secured about the piece of Work, said engine and planing cutter arranged to be manually held by said operating handle and said outer handle and said smaller diameter extension portions arranged to traverse said templates as the planing cutter is guided overithe piece of work.

5. A portable rotary planer comprising, in combination, a rotary engine or motor having a. casing and an operating handle, a shaft or spindle having one of its ends operatively Connected to said engine, a planing cutter secured on said spindle .at the opposite end, said engine casing having an extension and said spindle having bearing devices in said extension, said extension including a smaller diameterI portion adjacent to said engine to house said spindle and a larger diameter open-sided portion to house said planing cutter, and an outer handle substantially in axial alignment With said spindle at the side of said planing cutter remote from said engine, whereby the engine and planing cutter are compactly arranged to be manually supported by said engine operating'handle and said outer handle.

6. A portable rotary planine,` equipment comprising, in c-ombination, a fluid operated rotary engine having a casing and an operating handle, shaft or spindle having one of its ends operatvely connected to said engine, a planing cutter .Secured on said spindle vat the opposite end, said engine casing Vhaving an extension and said spindle having bearing devices in said extension, said extension including a small diameter portion adjacent to said engine to house said spindle and a. larger diameter open-sided portion to house .said planing` cutter, an outer handle substantially in axial alignment With said spindle at the side of said planing cutter remote from said engine, \vhereby the engine and planing cutter are compactly arranged to be manually supported by said engine operating handle and said outer handle, and a pair of templates arranged to be disposed in parall-el alignment alongside the piece of work and at oppositesides of said larger diameter opensided portion, said small diameter extension portion and said outer handle each having a. rounded outer Contour arranged to traverse said templates as the planing cutt-er is manually guided over the piece of Work.

7. A portable rotary planer comprising, in

combination, a fluid operated turbine engine having a casing and an operating handle, a sha-ft or spindle geared to said fluid operated .turbine engine and extending` from one side of .said engine casing, a hollow extension secured to said engine casing to Surround said spindle, said spindle having a bearing in said hollow extension, a planing cut-ter mounted on said spindle a short distance away from said engine casing, a planing cutter housing on said hollow extension portion, and an outer handle at the side of said planing cutter housing remote from said engine casing, said outer handle sulestantially in aligmnent with said engine casing extension and at an angle to said operating handle, and said operating handle including a device to start and stop the engine, whereby the engine and planine; cutter are compactly arranged to be manually held by the operator grasping said enter-handle and said engine operating handle and aecurately guided over the piece of work and the starting and stopping of the tool is accomplished while the planing cutter is in position ahove said work piece.

8. A portable rotary planing equipment comprising, in combination, a rotary engine or motor having a casing or body and an operatinghandle, a shaft or spindle operatively Connected to said engine to extend beyond said casing, a planing cutter inounted on said spindle, and a. casing extension portion Secured to said engine casing, said ca sing extension portion including a small diameter portion extending a short distance away from said engine casing to house said spindle., an enlarged diameter open-sided port-ion to house said planing cutter, and a second small diameter portion remote from .said engine casing andV in substantially the same axial plane as the small diameter extension portion contiguous to said engine casing, each of said small diameter extension portions having a rounded outer contour for use in guiding the planing cutter overa template or pattern, bearing devices for said spindle at said engine casing and in said casing extension por-tion, said remote small diameter extension portion constituting an outer handle, all of said extension portions coextensive with each other and formed in one piece.

In testimony Whereof, I have signed this specification.

i JOHN FEKETE. 

